A US woman who shot and killed her husband and two adult children before taking her own life is thought to have committed the shocking crime as a result of being ostracised from the religion she was raised in.

A federal judge sentenced a former Arkansas judge Wednesday to five years in prison — a stiffer punishment than prosecutors recommended — after he admitted giving young male defendants lighter sentences in return for personal benefits that included sexual favours.

Every time I tell a mate I’m doing a story on cryptocurrency, they invariably ask me the same two questions: should they invest their own hard-earned money, and which cryptocurrency will get them a Lamborghini/yacht/island quickest?

In a 60 Minutes online exclusive, reporter Liz Hayes quizzed Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on his relationship with the unpredictable Twitter aficionado and US president Donald Trump ahead of their meeting at the White House Friday.

Extra $810,000 to backburn across NSW

An extra $810,000 has been pumped into hazard reduction and fire trail maintenance projects across NSW in preparation for the bushfire season.

The money, announced on Friday, will go towards a number of projects, including mechanical hazard reduction and maintenance of fire trails on crown reserves.

The work will take place between Helensburgh on the south coast and Coffs Harbour on the mid-north coast.

"This funding has come at a crucial time as we move into another summer bushfire season - and follows in the wake of the devastating NSW bushfires in October," Acting NSW Premier Andrew Stoner said in a statement on Friday.